“The Convergence of the Twain”

“The Convergence of the Twain” By Thomas Hardy

Question 1 • Look at the word choice: • What is the effect of the word “convergence”? The word “Twain”? The word “Loss”?

Question 1 • Look at the word choice: • What is the effect of the word “convergence”? The word “Twain”? According to American Heritage Dictionary: Convergence -- The process of coming together or the state of having come together toward a common point. Twain – used in the KJV of the Bible and in the Wedding Service

Question 2 • Read over the first stanza (I). What do you notice about the sounds in this stanza? What do these sounds suggest?

Question 3 • How are the ideas within stanzas II, III, and IV presented to the reader? Why might this be?

Question 4 • There is obviously a lot of alliteration in this poem. Examine a variety of the examples of it throughout the text and consider the effect. Overall, what does the alliteration achieve?

Question 5 • What changes occur between I-V and VI-XI? What is the effect of such changes?

Question 6 • What is the effect of separating each stanza with a Roman numeral?

Question 7 • Examine the language in stanzas IX, X, XI – • Why “intimate welding” (line 27)? • Why “twin halves” and “august event” (line 30)? • Why “consummation” (line 33)?

Question 8 • Taking all of this into account, what specifically is the speaker’s attitude toward the sinking of the Titanic? • Does your response to this question change from your initial response? If so, in what ways?

HW: Revisit the other 4 poems • Re-examine each of the other poems in the packet. Make certain that your “What” is specific and defensible with the text. Print and complete a new chart if needed.

Question • In what order are the events discussed in this poem presented? Why might the author have organized it in this way?

“The Convergence of the Twain”